France international midfielder Yoann Gourcuff has joined Rennes on a one-year deal, a source close to the club said Monday.

The 29-year-old, who left Lyon at the end of last season, is not yet fit to play, however, due to a foot injury that is still healing.

Once considered France's brightest young star and heir to Zinedine Zidane, Gourcuff spent five difficult seasons at Lyon blighted by injuries following a 22 million-euro transfer from Bordeaux, where he won the Ligue 1 title.

Several teams had expressed interest in the former AC Milan player once he left Lyon but Gourcuff insisted on signing a one-year contract and refused to do so until sure he would regain full fitness.

As such he now joins the club where he began his career in 2003 before moving to Italy three years later.

Gourcuff has played 31 times for France, scoring four goals, and played at the 2010 World Cup, although he has rarely been picked since 2011.